St. Vincent’s University Hospital Wins Best Integration Award at HSE Excellence Awards 2017

St. Vincent’s University Hospital Wins Best Integration Award at HSE Excellence Awards 2017

20th December 2017

On the 14th December, the multi-disciplinary Acute Diabetic Foot Pathway project team at St. Vincent’s University Hospital (SVUH) won the Best Integration Award at the HSE Excellence Awards 2017 at a special awards ceremony in Farmleigh House in the Phoneix Park, Dublin.

The Acute Diabetic Foot Pathway Project was one of over three hundred projects entered for this prestigious award, with 11 finalists selected following a rigorous selection process. This award is hugely significant for the project team and for St. Vincent’s University Hospital.

The Pathway sought to streamline existing services in a coordinated, budget-neutral, multidisciplinary team approach. An algorithm and booklet were developed from the current national guidelines (Model of Care for the Diabetic Foot, HSE, 2011) and international best practice guidelines.

Ms. Mary Barry, Consultant Vascular Surgeon said:

“We are delighted to achieve such recognition for a new approach to a crisis level problem. The Acute Diabetic Foot Pathway project was implemented in April 2016 and has been hugely successful. To date it has resulted in significant quality improvements and major cost savings including:

· 71% reduction in major limb amputations

· Reduction in hospital length of stay (LOS) from average of 26 days to 4 days

· Re-admission rate within 2 weeks reduced from 43% to 2.7%

· Cost savings of over €1.4 million in 12 months.”

This initiative is now embedded practice in the hospital and continues to produce measurable quality care and cost savings.

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